B55 vs Low stretch strings forgiveness.

[GLB]

As I am dealing with some physical issues and can’t shoot a hunting weight bow currently. I bought a used lightweight bow about 30lbs so I can still shoot. The bow is a mild R/D 58” Longbow.

The bow came with a B55 Dacron string and it shot very well and easy to tune. I’m taking about perfect bullet holes in paper with 3 different spine wood arrows. I was expecting it to be a challenging bow to shoot. I then put a D97 string on it and it became a different bow. More noise and sensitive to tune and less forgiving. I put the B55 back on and I’m impressed with the forgiveness.

I plan to test this with other bows. In fact I have some light weight limbs coming for my recurve and plan to do a comparison.

I have my thoughts on this but was curious if any of you have experienced this as well, forgiveness with Dacron vs low stretch strings.

 

[Beendare]

I got nothing.
The last time I had a bow with B55 was decades ago.

So its the vibration in your bow arm thats bothering you and changing due to strings?

I did cause problems in my elbow with those dang ASL longbows and a Big Jims buffalo. The after shot vibration in those type bows was hard on me, I had to have surgery on my bow arm elbow. I'm lucky I still have all of my fillings shooting those bows- grin. I went to heavier riser recurves - and they aren't even that heavy- no issues now.

String Hand; I do know that drawing my bow as Jake Kaminsky, Tom Clum and others recommend with back muscles and scapula has helped relieve the pain in my rotator cuff.

 

[GLB]

I got nothing.
The last time I had a bow with B55 was decades ago.

So its the vibration in your bow arm thats bothering you and changing due to strings?

I did cause problems in my elbow with those dang ASL longbows and a Big Jims buffalo. The after shot vibration in those type bows was hard on me, I had to have surgery on my bow arm elbow. I'm lucky I still have all of my fillings shooting those bows- grin. I went to heavier riser recurves - and they aren't even that heavy- no issues now.

String Hand; I do know that drawing my bow as Jake Kaminsky, Tom Clum and others recommend with back muscles and scapula has helped relieve the pain in my rotator cuff.

There is slightly more felt vibration with B55. This leads me to first impressions Pros and Cons so far

B55 PROS.
1. Quiet.
2. More Forgiving.

D97 PROS.
1. Better Performance?
2. More Durable
3. Less felt vibration



I have a question mark on the D97 better performance. I believe that you do at a cost of noise. Most people would agree (I think ) that 5-7 FPS could be gained with low stretch strings. However if you have to use 4 to 6 strings silencers to make your bow quiet you maybe cutting into that performance gain.

The more forgiveness as stated in the original post is proven. However is may not be so with other type bows. If you have a very forgiving bow by design the string difference may not make a
difference.

This will be interesting as I test other bows. As I think about this I have never really wanted a faster bow, but I have always wanted a more forgiving and quiet bow.

 

[LostArra]

How many strands were used in each string?

I like D97 but I'm not a fan of the ultra skinny strings. Too much horsing around with serving thickness and padding up the loops. They also seem twangy to me but it might be my imagination.

I'm with Beendare on bow design and hand shock, the extreme example being a Howard Hill longbow which is favored by edentulous shooters.

 

[GLB]

How many strands were used in each string?

I like D97 but I'm not a fan of the ultra skinny strings. Too much horsing around with serving thickness and padding up the loops. They also seem twangy to me but it might be my imagination.

I'm with Beendare on bow design and hand shock, the extreme example being a Howard Hill longbow which is favored by edentulous shooters.

I’m not sure on the strand count but both are not skinny at all. I would consider them a standard size. The skinny low stretch strings Mercury and X99 I tried I never liked.

 

[Beendare]

So the B55 has more vibration after the shot?
Interesting....I would have thought it was less.

I was using D97....then BCYX and now 652 which I like best. I dunno that there is a heck of a lot of difference between those but the 652 is a tad quieter.

I do like a skinnier string. My 50# bow wears 12 strands of 652 which I make and once you have the formula to add strands to back the serving for nok fit you want, it's all good.

 

[GLB]

So the B55 has more vibration after the shot?
Interesting....I would have thought it was less.

I was using D97....then BCYX and now 652 which I like best. I dunno that there is a heck of a lot of difference between those but the 652 is a tad quieter.

I do like a skinnier string. My 50# bow wears 12 strands of 652 which I make and once you have the formula to add strands to back the serving for nok fit you want, it's all good.

More vibration as in recoil but not in noise. The B55 is crazy quiet compared to the D97 which is not loud at all, just a little louder.

The vibration difference is only noticeable to me shooting the 2 strings back to back.

 

[North Idaho Stickbow]

Jason Samkowiak says the exact same things as you about B55. I would shoot B55 too, but I can’t stand how much it stretches all the time, and it gets so frayed and beat up in the woods.

 

[smoke]

I use B55 on vintage bows, D-97 on selfbows and some production bows, and 652 Spectra on other production bows. I can't explain it, but some bows just seem to like certain string materials. I only use B55 on vintage bows for safety reasons -

 

[GLB]

Jason Samkowiak says the exact same things as you about B55. I would shoot B55 too, but I can’t stand how much it stretches all the time, and it gets so frayed and beat up in the woods.

I’ll have to look him up on that topic.

 

[GLB]

I use B55 on vintage bows, D-97 on selfbows and some production bows, and 652 Spectra on other production bows. I can't explain it, but some bows just seem to like certain string materials. I only use B55 on vintage bows for safety reasons -

I believe it’s true that certain bows like certain string material. My initial impression on B55 is it might be worth a try to calm a particular bow down that’s a little touchy. Certainly if the bow is noisy the B55 might be the answer instead of 6 string silencers and limb savers to make it quiet.

 

[GLB]

I grew in archery when all we had was B50 Dacron. Then FF strings came out and the extra FPS ruled over the noise and harshness.

 

[1Canvas]

I went down the longbow road a bit after I got into traditional, I was 67 and after trying a few longbows I could see from the
hand shock, even the lighter hand shock that it may cause problems down the road. I really wanted to like longbows as I think they are the ultimate traditional bow. As far as longbow limbs on a riser I have no experience there. I looked into them but the only advantage I seen with longbow limbs is they would be quieter. The downside is you loose the performance recurves offer. I already have issues hunting with a low energy 40# recurve.
I moved to aluminum ILF riser bows and I’m glad I did.

 

[Blackcow]

I’ve been making a bunch of b55 strings lately. I’m taking a hiatus from constantly buying and selling “customs” and ilfs, and going to shoot my pretty zebrawood early to mid 60’s Bears. I’ve shot d97 on em, and I pad the string, but they’re my old buddies so back to b55. I couldn’t find my old string notebook, so I had to fudge a few before I remembered, but here’s a few things, just random.
B55 does “stretch” less than b50
If you buy, not make your own, don’t buy from 3 rivers, Lancaster, or any of the bigger type places. Most of them will fit your bow to start, but at at least 1 twist per inch and very minimal if any pre stretch done when you buy it. You’ll end up 2-3 twists per inch after the loops tighten up. A bunch of perceived hand shock or vibration is that.
Buy from smaller but well known string maker, ie TTT, Steve Baker, Chad Weaver, etc.. They know how it acts and pre stretch, tight loops, etc.
Most store bought are over built. 12 strands is fine up to at least 50lb, and I’ve used 12 close to 60. A 12 strand stretched is the same as a 16 strand d97. Same .021 serving for most nocks.
I get about an inch and a quarter stretch, so I plan for it. It’s not so much stretch, as it will s b55 ( other than white) has a TON of wax, and the fibers are bigger. Most of that is the taper tightening and the wax coming out of the body, and then some from the fiber itself. D97 I plan for about a half inch of gain with stretching.
I keep the tapers between 81/2” and 83/4”. 9 at the very most, I sjoot for 1/3 twist per inch, knowing eventually it’s going to be 1/2 to 3/4 per inch eventually. Having said that, the string on my 61 Kodiak special lost 1/4” the 1st couple days, and hasn’t budged for over a month, 50+ arrows a day.
Recap: Don’t over build, no more strands than needed, no more center serving than needed, pre stretch and minimal twists. My strings have almost the same feel as d97. I built one for my favorite Bob Lee, and lost 3 fps over a 16 strand 97. But! The d97 has more weight in puffs on it. The b55 has 2 silent ridge on it. Which I hate and they’re going by by. I didn’t like them 30 years ago, even less now. I should mail the ones I have left to Cody Greenwood lol.

 

[Blackcow]

I mean, who doesn’t like zebrawood. It’s black and white ebonies less pretentious cousin!